Multi-Subunit Repair With the Nasolabial Burow's Advancement Flap.

AIM: We will describe the use of nasolabial Burow's advancement flaps (perialar crescentic advancements) to repair multi subunit defects of the nasal sidewall including the adjacent cheek, dorsum, tip, and ala without the need of additional flaps. METHODS: This retrospective single centre study analyzed 6 month postoperative photographs using the Manchester Scar scale. The operative technique is described in detail. RESULTS: Of 355 cases, 336 were available for analysis. The median Manchester Scar scale was 7 for both sidewall defects and multi-subunit defects. There were low rates of infection or necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: With the correct technique, the nasolabial Burow's advancement alone is suitable to repair even large multi-subunit defects involving the nasal sidewall, cheek, dorsum, tip, and ala with high-level aesthetic and functional results.

The winning score.

Incision lines placed at cosmetic boundaries and/or in rhytids during surgical procedures provide ideal concealment of scars. We suggest the use of a 30-gauge, half-inch needle or alternatively the back edge of a #15 scalpel blade to superficially score the skin to provide markings, which are fine enough to lie exactly within rhytids or at exact cosmetic boundaries such as the nasolabial fold or the junction of the cutaneous and vermillion lip. We measured the average depth of these scores to demonstrate that they are shallow enough to heal without scarring.

A review of the evidence for Mohs micrographic surgery. Part 2: basal cell carcinoma.

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is considered the gold-standard treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) particularly for sites with a high-risk of incomplete excision such as the central face, for tumours with an aggressive growth pattern and consequent unpredictable subclinical extension and for recurrent tumours. However, the process is more time-consuming than for standard excision (SE), and the magnitude of benefit is uncertain. This article aims to provide a more complete picture of current evidence, including a review of cosmetic outcomes, tissue-sparing ability and cost-effectiveness of MMS. Although robust evidence is lacking, there is a large volume of observational data supporting a low recurrence rate after MMS. The risk of incomplete excision and higher recurrence rate of standard excision favours the use of MMS at high-risk sites. There is some low-certainty evidence that MMS results in a smaller defect size compared with SE, and that incomplete excision with SE results in larger defects. Larger defects may affect cosmetic outcome but there is no direct evidence that MMS improves cosmetic outcome compared with SE. There is conflicting evidence regarding the cost of MMS compared with SE, as some studies consider MMS less expensive than SE and others consider it more expensive, which may reflect the healthcare setting. A multicentre 10-year randomized controlled trial comparing MMS and SE in the treatment of high-risk BCC would be desirable, but is unlikely to be feasible or ethical. Collection of robust registry data capturing both MMS and SE outcomes would provide additional long-term outcomes.

Evaluation of Intraoperative Triamcinolone Injection or Primary Lobe Tacking (Pexing) Sutures for Preventing Pincushioning in Bilobed Transposition Flaps.

BACKGROUND: Bilobed transposition flaps are prone to pincushioning (trapdooring), whereby contraction of the flap over the wound bed may produce an unsatisfactory functional and aesthetic outcome. There are several proposed methods to prevent this, but there is currently no clear consensus on the ideal technique. OBJECTIVE: To compare primary lobe pexing sutures versus intraoperative triamcinolone (TAC) injection as methods to prevent pincushioning in bilobed transposition flaps. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of bilobed flap reconstructions identified from the Mohs micrographic surgery database at a single tertiary center in New Zealand. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-two patients met the inclusion criteria: 37 received pexing sutures, 42 intraoperative TAC, and 263 no additional intervention. The most defect common location was the nasal tip (43.6%), followed by the ala (20.8%). Ninety-three participants (27.2%) developed pincushioning at a median 35 days postoperatively. Participants receiving no intervention had a 30.8% pincushioning rate. The TAC group had a 23.8% pincushioning rate (p = .358), and the pexing group had a 5.5% pincushioning rate (p = .001). CONCLUSION: Participants receiving primary lobe pexing sutures had a statistically significantly lower rate of pincushioning than those receiving no intervention. Intraoperative TAC injections appeared to have little impact on pincushioning.

Bridge flap repair of the lower limb: A hybrid alternative to the keystone.

Surgery of the lower limb to remove skin cancer often requires the use of skin grafting due to tightness of the surrounding tissues and poor dermal integrity. We present a retrospective case review of our experience with the bridge flap as an alternative for lower leg reconstruction. The techniques of executing this hybrid flap are detailed.

Can I take my normal painkillers doctor? Therapeutic management of pain following dermatological procedures.

Dermatological procedures performed purely under local anaesthesia can provide excellent intraoperative analgesia. However, post-procedure patients can have significant pain. Consequences of pain include patient distress, poor compliance with dressings and subsequent delayed wound healing as well as the potential fear and avoidance of further procedures. Anecdotally the same postoperative analgesia regime is given to all dermatology patients. There is a general fear by dermatologists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) due to perceived risk of postoperative bleeding and of tramadol due to its sedative effects. Understanding of pharmacology within the patient population and their comorbidities is necessary in choosing the appropriate analgesic regime. We reviewed the most commonly used analgesics, giving a summary of the important pharmacology and evidence of their use in the literature in order to allow clinicians to give individual approach to managing post-procedure analgesia.

Utility of the quadrilobe flap for repairing defects of the nasal tip.

The quadrilobe flap allows the mobilisation of the skin of the upper nose and nasofacial sulcus to the distal nose while avoiding unfavourable tension vectors that would distort the free margin of the ala. We report our experience over the past 3 years in the first case series of quadrilobe flaps for repair of surgical defects on the nose.

Flexible razor blade for harvesting tumours in Mohs micrographic surgery.

A useful application of the flexible razor blade in Mohs micrographic surgery that can save time and result in a well-presented specimen is described.